Through hands-on learning in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM), a new Starbase location in San Luis Obispo is up and running, helping local 5th graders garner an interest in those areas of education.
The new location is located at Camp San Luis Obispo, becoming one of 88 Department of Defense installations aimed at serving and educating local youth, specifically those in the 5th grade.
“Because we can still introduce these types of activities and it still register and maybe have an impact," director of Starbase SLO, Captain Chad Wright, explained of the age group. "For them to move on through the rest of their schooling and maybe hopefully on into higher education and STEM careers is why we chose fifth grade.”
When the installation opened in April, Sharon Kuhbander’s 5th grade class from Oakley Elementary School in Santa Maria was one of the first classes to attend, giving her students a chance to broaden their exposure to STEAM activities.
“It does help attack some of the science standards that we don't necessarily get through," Kuhbander said of the week-long class.
It’s also not the only Starbase location on the Central Coast. Kuhbander’s class took part in the program at Vandenberg Space Force Base two years ago. That location has been open since 2020.
“It's really good just to kind of see their brains work differently than in the rigor of a classroom," Kuhbander stated.
The program is 25 hours of hands-on learning that emphasizes experiments and doing rather than just a normal classroom lecture setting.
“Again, we're just trying to inspire students so we get them all active," Wright said. "We're asking lots of questions and actually our instruction time is a lot smaller than the amount of time that's devoted toward an activity.”
From circuit boards to beakers, the kids are taking fundamental science principles and putting them into action in hopes that test scores improve and more of them eventually advance into different STEAM career fields as a civilian or in the military.
“The rest of this year, I want this teacher to say I had more students involved in math, asking questions, engage in asking about activities, and talking about not just Starbase, but the activities and the lessons behind the activities that we did," Wright said about his hopes of the program moving forward.
For Kuhbander, she explained that she noticed some of her "quieter, more reserved students become involved."
Wright explained that the program focuses on Title I schools, which are schools that receive federal funding to assist with low-income families. Between the Camp San Luis and Vandenberg locations, they are able to serve all of San Luis Obispo County and northern Santa Barbara County.
For more information on Starbase and the local San Luis Obispo location, click here.
